Jason Varitek is mashing

Did anyone expect this kind of performance thus far out of Jason Varitek? If so, admit it. Because you would, from here on out, be labeled a genius.

Tek's BB's per nine are down (bad?), the K's 9 are down (good). And according to WAR, Varitek is tied for 3rd among catchers in the American League.

The OBP is below the league-average, sitting at .320. And the average too, would make the casual fan suggest that Tek hasn't been hitting all that well.

But the power. Oh, the power. Where did it come from? A .541 Slugging %? Seriously?

This was a guy that slugged only .350 last season. And that is basically "Julio Lugo-on-the-Red-Sox" territory. The power is a fluke. As Tek isn't going to continue hitting the ball out of the park this often. But a little improvement in the power department. Now that is something I might be able to buy in to.

And Tek did have some off the field concerns wearing on his mind last season. So don't discount what those can do to one's performance. Although just for the record, those distractions did not mitigate the kind of power we are currently witnessing. But could have "mitigated" some of his power, or hurt his overall ability to focus.

Varitek has swung at a few more pitches within the strike zone which is good. But he hasn't swung more often overall, actually slightly less, as he has layed off a few more pitches out of the zone. And his 3.70 pitches per plate appearance is the lowest it has been since 2002, when it was roughly the same as that current number.